LED ZEPPELIN IV

This is probably the most overexposed album in rock history. If Robert, Jimmy and John John haven't been hospitalized for 3rd degree burns, I'd be greatly surprised! So, the challenge with reviewing this album is that the songs are so overly familiar to listeners that it's difficult to really hear them with a critical ear.

That being said, I will give Zeppelin IV 4 stars. It's one of the finest albums by one of a handful of the most influential bands in rock music history. One of the best things about this album is its variety. The blues, folk, hard rock, and complex time signatures are combined in Led Zeppelin fashion on this album. I won't go into detail about individual songs, since I don't think doing so is constructive. I will say that my favorites are Black Dog, Misty Mountain Hop, The Battle of Evermore, and When the Levee Breaks. Four Sticks is probably my least favorite; it just doesn't work me. Then, of course, there's Stairway. I can't listen to it anymore with any kind of critical ear, and I wouldn't miss it if it was gone.

There's a reason for Led Zeppelin's immense popularity 30 years after the fact. They are one of a handful of bands that created hard rock/heavy metal, while always incorporating other elements. The level of talent here is undeniable. So, I give 4 stars to one of their finest, if overplayed, albums.